25% Design Public Hearing - Connecting Historic Boston Project

Date:

Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 6:00pm

Location:

City Hall, Boston - One City Hall Square, Room 801 - Boston, MA 02201

A Public Hearing will be held by the City of Boston Public Works Department to discuss the proposed Connect Historic Boston project that is being funded through a Federal Highway Administration Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Grant.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this hearing is to provide the public with the opportunity to become acquainted with the City of Boston Public Works Department Connect Historic Boston Project. All views and comments made at the hearing will be reviewed and considered to the maximum extent possible.

PROPOSAL: This project consists of roadway/streetscape improvements at four (4) separate locations in downtown Boston and Charlestown. The projects include:

1. Constitution Road and Water Street in Charlestown – Construct a bicycle track, sidewalk widening, accessibility improvements, and pedestrian safety improvements. Provide bicycle markings and improved crosswalk on Water Street. Reconstruct and make minor modifications to the alignment of the Freedom Trail.

A secure right-of-way is necessary for this project. Acquisitions in fee and permanent or temporary easements may be required. The City of Boston is responsible for acquiring all needed rights in private or public lands. The City’s policy concerning land acquisitions will be discussed at this hearing.

The project will include modifications and improvements to City of Boston and State-owned parks which require temporary and permanent easements. The City of Boston intends to make a de minimis determination for this work because it will not adversely affect the activities, features, or attributes that make the property eligible for protection under Section 4(f) of the DOT Act. Public comment on this matter is welcome at the Design Public Hearing.

The project will include permanent easements to property that is listed on the National Historic Register or Eligible for Listing on the National Historic Register. Information on the improvements and modifications to historic land or structures will be made available at the public hearing.

Written views received by the City of Boston subsequent to the date of this notice and up to five (5) days prior to the date of the hearing shall be displayed for public inspection and copying at the time and date listed above. Plans will be on display one-half hour before the hearing begins, with an engineer in attendance to answer questions regarding this project. A project handout will be made available on the City of Boston website listed below.

Written statements and other exhibits in place of, or in addition to, oral statements made at the Public Hearing regarding the proposed undertaking are to be submitted to Michael Dennehy Acting Public Works Commissioner, City of Boston Public Works Department, Engineering Division, Room 711, City Hall, Boston, MA 02201. Such submissions will also be accepted at the hearing. Mailed statements and exhibits intended for inclusion in the public hearing transcript must be postmarked within ten (10) business days of this Public Hearing.

This location is accessible to persons with disabilities. The City of Boston provides reasonable accommodations and/or language assistance free of charge upon request (including but not limited to interpreters in American Sign Language and languages other than English, open or closed captioning for videos, assistive listening devices and alternate material formats, such as audio tapes, Braille and large print), as available. For accommodation or language assistance, please contact the City’s Disability Commissioner, Kristen McCosh by phone (617) 635-3682, fax (617) 635-2726, TTY (617) 635-2541 or by email at disability@boston.gov. Or contact the City’s Office of Civil Rights by phone (617) 635-4408, fax (617) 635-3290, or by email CivilRights@boston.gov. Requests should be made as soon as possible prior to the meeting, and for more difficult to arrange services including sign-language, CART or language translation or interpretation, requests should be made at least ten business days before the meeting.